All about ski lifts, tramways and gondolas

A third detachable quad is poised to please beginners and experts alike this season at Wolf Creek Ski Area. The Forest Service approved the Meadow lift as part of a 55 acre project in late 2017 and construction commenced in June. This learning playground will feature almost a dozen new trails through low angle forests near Alberta Lake. But the lift will also appeal to expert skiers coming from the Knife Ridge Chutes, Horsehoe Bowl and Spooner Hill areas, who won’t need to hike after their powder lines anymore.

The 2,100′ Doppelmayr has eight towers and will deposit riders near tower nine of the much longer Alberta fixed-grip quad. (that’s right, Wolf Creek’s longest chairlift is still fixed-grip but its second shortest will be high speed.) There are now three lifts in the Alberta zone, which could be a ski area all itself at 900 acres.

The new 30 chair quad will be named Charity after late Wolf Creek owner Charity Jane Pitcher. This growing ski area, which sees the most natural snow in Colorado, is up to seven chairlifts and ten lifts overall. The mountain’s total lift-served vertical will increase slightly with the addition of Charity.

The 2012 Wolf Creek master plan envisions two more lifts east of Charity.

The newest lift was initially planned to be a fixed-grip double in the Wolf Creek Master Plan. One reason it might have been built as a detachable quad is Wolf Creek is considering two more lifts and 900 new acres even further east. The Village at Wolf Creek, long planned by an independent developer, includes two more lifts that could deposit even more skiers in Alberta someday. For now, guests can enjoy the peace and quiet Charity has to offer with three minute lift laps away from the main base.

8 thoughts on “Say Hello to Wolf Creek’s Charity Lift”

If they’d gone with a fixed grip quad, what would the ride time have been? Maybe five minutes? The cost difference doesn’t seem minimal. On the other hand, detachables are typically easier for beginners to load and unload, so fewer lift slows/stops one hopes.
I haven’t been to WC since before the Elma lift opened. I might have to get down there this year.

I agree with you. Why not get rid of the 25-30 minute ride up the Alberta Lift?? Even though the terrain and snow is arguably the best in the state, I still stay away due to that amount of time spent on that damn Alberta lift. frustrating!

What a waste of time installing a three minute express lift that costs millions of dollars, that most beginners will be to afraid to come down too! Come on WOLF CREEK?!?!